Two Pullets Passed in Two Days

[dennio]

Hello all,

I had the unfortunate experience of having to find one of my baby welsummers (17 weeks) passed away on the floor of the coop yesterday (11July)

I had checked their coop approx 6-630PM and my kids had poked their heads in around 730-8PM. When doing my usual rounds about 9 at night, I opened their coop door to do a headcount and found her lifeless. My best guess is she passed away an hour or so before I found her but it could of been longer if my kids simply didn't notice. She was slumped on her side with one leg extended, not sure if this is a sign or just a position a chicken typically dies in. Her older sisters (21 weeks) just started laying so they have all been on Layena for approx 1.5 weeks.

I was allowing them to free range daily but after this death I have isolated them all to the coop/run.
Tonight (0019) as I am writing this, I was dismayed to find one of my sweet barred rock girls (21 weeks) in the same position the next evening, having passed during a near identical timespan. It was around 920 when I found her, so I called my wife out with a flash light and despite the hundreds of ants on her body I gently felt around to see if there was anything out of the ordinary. It seemed like she had not eaten much today, and I found a shiny bloody stool or atleast thats what I could see in the dark with my wifes phone flashlight.

I kinda of got into panic mode, and instead of cleaning just the coop bedding like I did the previous night after the first death, I shovelled and scraped out the coop/run, nesting boxes, 2-3 feet around the entire coop and palced in trash bags. Furthermore I filled a bucket with bleach and water and scrubbed their water dripper and food dishes then rinsed vigorously to be sure.

I also had my wife help me to inspect all their combs and wattles, and then we inspected all their vents. 12 vents to be exact, most were just clean, pink and well venty. I cant say any looked dirty or bloody and leaky ect, which I hope is good.

My wife and I are very heartbroken by the loss of our two girls, and would appreciate any advise ect as long as its constructive.

 

[Perris]

Sorry for your loss I and many others have experienced similar; birds that seemed on the verge of laying and in perfect health just dead on the floor of the coop with no warning.

There are many possible reasons for an unexpected death, but becoming an adult bird - into lay for your pullets - is a highly stressful time for them, with hormones running at levels they've not experienced before, and some birds simply drop dead from it. The pose you describe is characteristic.

Ants swarming on the body is not normal though. I would find the ant nest and destroy it.

 

[dennio]

Appreciate your reply, I find it unsettling to see this happen when my previous flock of four years back did fine with no losses.

I was thinking it may be related to that as I don’t know if the 21 week old was laying yet since there are 6 in her age group. We have been getting 2-3 eggs staggered a day the last 3 or 4 days.
About 3 days ago I found a unshelled egg in the yard. Honestly at a loss, saying a prayer for the rest to make it through this, hoping it’s not weather related being that it’s another week of 100+ degrees for us.

Further details that may help, we have/had

Type	Birth	Quantity
Light Brahma	16 Feb 22	1
Black Star Pullet	16Feb 22	4
Barred Plymoth Rock Pullet	16 Feb 22	2
Welsummer(2 pullets 1 roo)	16 Mar 22	3
Easter Egger	23 Mar 22	2
Rhode Island Red	23 Mar 22	1
Farm hen/fighting roo (given by neighbor) 2 months ago	23 Mar 22	1
		14 Total 12 as of today

 

[Perris]

shell-less or soft shelled eggs are also common with new layers; they usually sort themselves out. That heat won't be helping though. Do they have lots of shade?

 

[dennio]

Before the first one passed I was allowing them to free range throughout the yard where they find shade in a variety of areas(neighbors trees, fence line, 3foot weeds, kids play sets ect. the run is also covered.

I was a little cautious today thinking that maybe I have a poisonous weed somewhere (my yard has various weeds all over). So I kept them restricted to the run for a day when the 2nd girl passed this evening.

 

[Perris]

But if it's the stress of starting laying that is causing heart failure, they may be more stressed being cooped up. Mine have free ranged for 5 years (and I have deadly nightshade among other toxic plants here), and I think they instinctively know what's toxic to them and don't eat it.

 

[dennio]

But if it's the stress of starting laying that is causing heart failure, they may be more stressed being cooped up. Mine have free ranged for 5 years (and I have deadly nightshade among other toxic plants here), and I think they instinctively know what's toxic to them and don't eat it.

Your probably right, mine have free ranged since 6-7 weeks so they should probably be okay to continue. Ugh this is a true mystery. Thankfully didn’t find any on the floor this morning. Which leads me to think it’s the stress of trying to roost maybe?

 

[Iluveggers]

How much roost bar space do they have in sq feet?

 

[Kiki]

Your probably right, mine have free ranged since 6-7 weeks so they should probably be okay to continue. Ugh this is a true mystery. Thankfully didn’t find any on the floor this morning. Which leads me to think it’s the stress of trying to roost maybe?

Sorry for your loss.

What exactly have you been feeding your birds on a regular basis?

 

[dennio]

How much roost bar space do they have in sq feet?

Here is a link to the coop/run I procured for them. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...rge-sentinel-chicken-coop-mfc-ls?cm_vc=-10011

Estimating off the top of my head I would venture to say that they have 14.33 feet of roost space. There are two bars just short of six feet long and another lower bar that’s approx 3.5 feet long give or take. They also use the edge of the nest boxes which are lower to get to the top roost.